Billups leads Pistons over Grizzlies

Richard Hamilton added 19 points with seven assists for the Pistons, who have won an amazing 19 of their 21 home games this season. Overall, the victory was Detroit’s 10th in a row, a season high.

Tayshaun Prince added 16 points and eight boards, while Rasheed Wallace donated 12 points with 13 rebounds.

Pau Gasol paced the Grizzlies, losers in six of their last seven games in Detroit, with 31 points and seven rebounds. Mike Miller added 20 points off the bench.

With Memphis ahead 81-78, Billups took over, netting 10 straight points. The guard knocked down a pair of free throws to get Detroit to within one and followed with two more from the charity strip to put the Pistons ahead 82-81 with 2:27 remaining.

Miller attempted a driving layup at the other end, but saw his shot blocked by Ben Wallace. Billups then knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to cap the stretch and put the Pistons up 88-81 with 1:28 left.

After a Gasol basket, Prince connected with a dunk and Ben Wallace hit a free throw to make it 91-83. Miller connected for two with 40 seconds remaining, but Billups hit two more free throws to make it 93-85 as the Pistons rolled to the victory.

The game was close early as Memphis led 24-21 after the first frame and the teams then fought through a tight second, exchanging leads throughout the frame as no team led by more then three points during the stanza. Memphis held the edge at 46-44 heading into the third.

Gasol led all scorers at the break with 18 points, while Hamilton paced Detroit with 11.

The Pistons opened up the third frame with a 7-2 spurt to take a 51-48 and the lead later swelled to 59-52. However, a 9-2 run by Memphis tied the contest at 61-61 with 2:03 remaining in the stanza.

Gasol’s three-pointer as time was winding down in the third sent the Grizzlies into the fourth frame ahead 68-64.

Miller’s basket to open up the fourth gave Memphis a six-point edge, but that was the most the Pistons would trail by in the frame before taking control late in the third.

Game Notes

The Pistons improved to 35-5 overall on the season...Memphis came into the game winners in two of their last three following a four-game skid...The Pistons have beaten the Grizzlies twice this season and 11 times in their last 14 meetings...Detroit is 19-2 when Billups nets 20 or more points...Pistons coach Flip Saunders picked up a technical foul in the fourth quarter...Detroit shot 45.1 percent from the floor to Memphis’ 43.8.